Learning about wine, vines and vignerons whilst living in the Languedoc

London Cru via Puimisson

The grapes are loaded into a lorry fitted with equipment to keep them chilled at 8C for the journey to London

Mas Coutelou sells its wines in the UK through Roberson Wines in London, web address at the bottom of this post. Robersons have introduced a new initiative in the last couple of years called London Cru involving them buying grapes from producers, including Jeff, and transporting them back to London to be made into wine. Gavin Monery is making the wines, the first of which have been released this week. Gavin said this on Jamie Goode’s Wine Anorak blog, “We work the Cab Sauv because the vigneron is Jeff Coutelou, one of the most talented growers I’ve met.”

Preparing the grapes chez Coutelou ready for transport

Jeff provides some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The review by Jamie Goode quoted below explains their provenance. The first London Cru vintage coincides with one of the Languedoc Roussillon’s very best so the quality of grapes which went to London was very high. This year’s are of equally good quality though in smaller quantity due to the long drought in the area in 2014.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, freshly picked

Jamie’s review of the London Crus are available here but this is the review of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Jamie’s is one of the internet’s most respected wine blogs and winner of the best overall wine blog at The Wine Blog Awards.

SW6 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013Jeff Coutelou supplies this, and he was previously giving these excellent grapes to the coop because he just wanted to make wine from local varieties. Lovely pure, sweet blackcurrant fruit nose with some blackcurrant leaf. So classic and expressive. The palate is beautifully balanced with nice structure and classic Cabernet characters. A lovely wine with real potential. 91/100

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I'm a recently retired (early!) teacher from County Durham in North east England. I am going to be spending most of the next year in the Languedoc leaarning about wines, vineyards and the people who care for both.